Yorba Linda Planning Commission split votes on three-story, 62-unit townhome project, pickleball facility liquor license

 

A plan for a three-story, 62-unit townhouse project on a 2.647-acre property adjacent to Jessamyn West Park and fronting Yorba Linda Boulevard has been approved on a 3-1 vote by the Yorba Linda Planning Commission, despite strong opposition from nearby residents.

Residents expressed concerns at two meetings, a joint Traffic and Planning commission meeting in November and a Planning Commission meeting in December. The 3-1 vote approved a tentative tract map, design review and conditional use permit for the project.

Opposition centered around density, traffic, circulation, parking, building height, privacy and fire access. At the November meeting, commissioners asked the applicant, City Ventures, to further study the concerns before the December meeting.

City Ventures, an Irvine-based home builder, said three units would be set aside for very low-income buyers, allowing a 22.5% density bonus from 53 units to 65 units. The builder noted their plan would top out at 62 units at 19081 Yorba Linda Boulevard, east of Ohio Street and west of Palm Avenue.

Some of the project’s opponents addressed letters to City Council members, apparently in anticipation of an appeal to the city’s governing body. City Ventures made some changes in the project after the November meeting, but not enough to satisfy some neighbors.

Upon appeal, the council could “affirm or reverse, wholly or partially or may modify the decision, conditions of approval or determination made by the Planning Commission. The decision of the City Council shall be in writing and shall be final,” according to city policy.

Approval by the Planning Commission included 156 conditions to the tentative tract map and four conditions each to the design review and the conditional use permit. An appeal of the conditional use permit costs $1,000, which is waived if appealed by a council member.

Vote by commissioners: “yes” by Don Bernstein, Nathaniel Behura and Michael Masterson and “no” by Dale Goldfarb. Mario Chavez Marquez recused himself due to a conflict of interest.

* * *

Another split vote from commissioners concerned a request by West Coast Pickleball in the Savi Ranch Center to allow the sale and on-site consumption of beer, wine and distilled spirits as an accessory use to the facility, which requires a conditional use permit.

The 16,289-square-foot facility with six indoor and four outdoor courts for members and guests received a permit to operate in 2024. An indoor and an outdoor alcohol service area is allowed.

No comments were received from area property owners and comment from the county Sheriff’s Department indicated the request “is consistent with public safety expectations and does not pose issues that require additional oversight.”

Vote by commissioners: “Yes” by Chavez Marquez, Goldfarb and Masterson and “no” by Behura and Bernstein.

The 20-square-mile city has 95 active on- and off-sale liquor licenses.

Placentia-Yorba Unified School District trustees face unenviable task in New Year: budget cuts "to maintain fiscal solvency"; board officers selected on 3-2 votes

 An unenviable task awaits the five elected trustees of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District in the first months of the New Year: making an estimated $16.1 million in budget cuts for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Trustees, who represent nearly all of Yorba Linda and Placentia and portions of Fullerton, Brea and Anaheim in the pre-K to 12^th grade district, are mandated by state law to have a budget in place by a July 1 deadline.

Potential budget reductions are expected to be presented to trustees at a Jan. 20 meeting, with a public hearing on the budget scheduled for a June 2 meeting. Trustees were told at a previous meeting that some $15.6 million in cuts are necessary “to maintain fiscal solvency.”

That figure was increased to $16.1 million at a Dec. 16 meeting during a presentation of a state-required “first interim report” on the district’s financial health since the current budget was adopted in June 2025.

The report, which was due by Dec. 15 to the Orange County Department of Education, carried a “positive assignment,” a designation meaning the district “will meet its financial obligations for the current and two subsequent fiscal years.”

The report represents the latest information on revenues, expenditures, deficits, enrollment and other matters for the current fiscal year ending June 30 and projections on these topics for the next two fiscal years.

This year’s enrollment was estimated at 21,726, with projections of 21,338 and 20,950, respectively, for the next two fiscal years. That’s a drop from 25,501 enrolled in 2016-17.

This year’s revenues are estimated at $378.3 million, with projections of $372.3 million and $378.4 million for the next two fiscal years, and this year’s expenditures are estimated at $417.6 million, with projections of $401 million and $400 million for the next two fiscal years.

This year’s deficit is estimated at $39.3 million, with projections of $28.7 million and $21.6 million for the next two fiscal years.

Among the financial challenges listed in the report: declining enrollment, projected low cost-of-living funding from the state the next three years, annual step and column salary increases and rising health benefit premiums for employees and a potential loss of federal funding.

* * *

Trustees again split their votes on the election of board officers to serve throughout 2026.

Carrie Buck was selected president, Tricia Quintero vice president and Marilyn Anderson clerk on 3-2 votes. Anderson was president, Buck vice president and Todd Frazier clerk for 2025.

Supporting the choices for the one-year terms were Buck, Quintero and Anderson, while Frazier and Leandra Blades were opposed.

Also, trustees set the starting and ending dates for the 2026-2027 school year. First day of classes will be on Thursday, Aug. 13, and the last day of classes will be Thursday, May 27, 2027, both up a week from this year’s dates.